My first job, in the late '60s, and early '70s, was as a paperboy. I delivered the London Free Press.
Forty years later, as life would have it, I find myself employed as a “curbside waste collector.”
To me, the similarities are obvious. I enjoyed delivering newspapers, for each day presented a variety of challenges. Some I could control with communication, and good customer relations, and others, the weather being the main one, I couldn’t.
I learned that each customer was an individual, and, as such, had their own personality type. I catered to each, providing them, daily, with a fresh, dry, folded newspaper, placed in the location of their choosing. I also ensured that their daily link to the outside world was at their residence before the sun came up.
Methodically, I moved from house to house leaving nothing behind, but neatly placed newspapers. For this effort, I was treated with respect, in the form of smiles, waves, and generously compensated at Christmas time.
With Curbside Residential Recycling, many fundamentals, with respect to customer service, are the same, so the same work ethic still applies. Respect is still earned, communication and common sense are the keys. The weather, unfortunately, is still unpredictable.
However, I must concede, there is one major difference, and this one, I have no control over, nor can I protect myself from it. This challenge is job security. I have faced unemployment before, but never without advanced notice.
The waste company that employs me, and many others, does so under a city contract. This contract, that we held for 10 years, expired this year. The bids for the City of Greater Sudbury’s curbside waste collection were not accepted until late September 2016. The new contract, from what I understand, was cited to begin the second week of October 2016.
To date, and with four scheduled shifts left, I have just been informed that our contract was extended until the end of October 2016. The city’s website simply reads, "Final award not yet available.”
This is my livelihood; it’s how I support myself and my loved ones. A heads up, as to my future, would be nice. I will continue to do my job, to the best of my ability. However, it would also be nice if the City of Greater Sudbury would do theirs.
M. McKerral
Garson